Ohio offers more than 5,000 miles of trails for hiking, biking, bridle, mountain biking and water trails. Trails improve quality of life and boost outdoor recreational opportunities for all Ohioans, by allowing families and friends to participate in outdoor activities close to home. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and the Ohio Trails Partnership are requesting feedback to create the state’s next plan for recreational trails of all types throughout Ohio.

ODNR will host five regional meetings for everyone from trail managers to planners to advocate to trail users. The focus of these meetings is to garner ideas which will formulate a state plan for recreational trails. This plan helps to set funding priorities of the State’s Clean Ohio Trails Fund and the federal Recreational Trails Program. Topics of discussion will include nature trails, multi-use/greenway paths, water trails, motorized recreational trails, equestrian trails and mountain bike trails.

In Northwest Ohio, the meeting will be Tuesday, July 17 at the Buehner Center in Whitehouse. Each meeting begins at 2 p.m.

People should RSVP for these meetings to ODNR Trails Coordinator Tom Arbour at tom.arbour@dnr.state.oh.us or 614-265-6575.